The buyer paid more than the price and asks for a refund of the difference. Is it a scam?
Yes, this is the overpayment scam. Either the payment never happened and the proof is a fake screenshot, or the money came from a stolen account or a reversible payment, so that when you refund the "extra" you lose real money.
The buyer is usually polite and in a hurry: "my assistant paid the wrong amount, please send back the difference to this number". The refund is requested to a different number or account than the one that paid.
What to do
- Check your own bank app: did any money arrive at all?
- If it did, do not refund by UPI to any number. Tell your bank and let the reversal happen between banks.
- Never refund to a different account than the one the money came from.
- Stop the sale and block the buyer – a genuine buyer does not overpay and chase refunds.
Frequently asked questions
- The money is really in my account. Can I just send the difference back?
- No. It may be from a stolen account and will be reversed later, leaving you out of pocket. Let your bank handle it.
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